Automatic stabilizing apparatus for flying-machines.



0. WITTKOWSKI. AUTOMATIC STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0016,1914.

SHEETS-31131 1.

1,1 32,503, Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

\ \/I tr'1.5565: I Inventor:

M d 4 I M 2 io 0. WITTKOWSKI.

AUTOMATIC STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED 0016,1914

1,132,503. Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 tend to direct the force. The said plane is connected with the body 5 "of the flying machine by means of arms and k and a link g, by means of which it is set according to the position of the body I; of the flyin machine relatively to the pendulum c.- T e resistance of the body of the flying machine acts along the line 7', and the distance of the saidline from the axis of the propeller z is m. The resistance of the plane 6 acts along .the line k, which is at the distance 11. from the axis of the propeller. The pull of the propeller is re resented by the arrow 1. The connection 5 the pendulum withthe plane 0 has been represented in a diagrammatical way by the members p. If the front end of the flying machine is thrown upward, and .into the position shown in 2, for example by a current of air, the resistance 7' is increased, .so that the velocity of the machine is reduced. By its inertia the pendulum has the tendency to move forward relatively to the flying machine and in the direction of the flight so as to assume the position 0 shown in dotted lines. Thereby also the plane a would be moved upward and into the position shown in dotted lines.

ing machine the plane a is set in such a way that its front resistance is increased. Thereby the velocity of the pendulum is likewise retarded in the same way as that of the body I), so that the position of the pendulum is not changed.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the body of the flying machine in the position in which its front end has been thrown downward by a current of air 1'. Thereby the front resistance j is reduced and the velocity of the flight accelerated. The pendulum has the tendency to assume the position 0 which has been shown in Fig. 3 in dotted lines, and to turn the plane 0 into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, in which it would ying machine further downward. However, as the resistance is likewise reduced by setting the plane a, and the pull Z of the propeller acts at a distance m from the point a from which the pendulum is suspended, the pendulum maintains its original position.

In Figs. 4 to 6 I have shown a flying machine in which the pendulum is provided by the frame work supporting the machine when moving over the ground or on the surface of the water, and in which in addition to the automatic setting means for the plane a mounted on the pendulum, means are rovidcd for setting the said frame work by hand.

Fig. 4 shows the flying machine when alighting or starting from the surface of the water, the floating body 0' being in the position which is most favorable for starting or alighting. The body of the flying machine However, by the upward movement of the body of the flyis provided with wings or planes P. In. order to impart to the float or frame 0' the position shown in Fig. '4, the plane 0 is set by hand'by suitable mechanism insucha floating body 0" is suspended. The sprocket wheel 2- is connected through a chain 3 with a s rocket wheel '1 which is mounted on a sli e block 5 guided in a slide way 6 which is secured to the floating body C. To the sprocket wheel 4 a plate 7 is secured which is formed with an eccentric cam slot 8. To the plane e two arms 9 and 10 are secured which are connected by links 11 and 12 with a rocking lover having its fulcrum fixed on the body C at'l4. One end of the lever 13 is engaged by the cam slot 8. To the slide block 5 a rod 15 is jointed which is screw-threaded at its end and is engaged by a hand wheel 16 the hub of which is mount ed forrotation in a bracket 17. \Vhen the sprocket wheel 4 and the cam plate 7 are rotated from tho sprocket wheel 2, the cam slot 8 rocks the lever 13 so as to changethe position of the plane e through the inter-' mediary of the links 11, 12 and the arms 10. By shifting the block 5 together with the cam plate 7 longitudinally of the guide way 6 by means of the hand wheel 16 and the rod 15 the lever 13 is likewise rocked. Both operations areindependent of each other.

The pendulum or float framework 0 is rigidly connected with bearings a,'a of a worm t. and it has a rocking support on the body' of the flying machine at a. On the pivot 11' a cam plate at is mounted which is adapted to be rocked by the worm 12 from the medial position w into the position a: or 1 Fig. 0, and the pendulum a can rock independently of this movement with'the cam plate u into the positions a: or y. By the rocking movemenhof the cam plate u the point z of a lever 13 having a rocking Support on the body of the flying machine at A is moved toward or away from the'pivot a and this movement is transmitted through members p to the plane 0'. The pressure of the plane 0 on the cam plate u can not displace the latter because the cam plate s locked against such displacement by the worm t.

In the normal position shown in Fig. 5 the pressure of the body of the flying'mac'hine messes passes through a point which is located before the center of the pressure of the water acting on the float, and the center of gravitation of the float is located at the rear thcreofl plane 6' is set by hand in horizontal p951? tion. so that the resistance in the direction of the flight and the lifting force E of the plane 0' ha e their smallest value. After the flying machine has been started, the force exerted by the weight of the body of the machine and acting downward in the point a is replacd by an upwardly acting force caused by the lifting effectof the air on the wings of the machine, the center of gravitation C of the float being gradually shifted forward until it is below the pivot a, and the float has the position shown in Fig. 4- This inclined position of the float is further assisted'by the driving force of the water propeller'F which is driven from the motor of the flying machine. Therefore, when startin the float will first rise with its frontcn from the water, and when alighting its rear end will firstbe immersed. Thereby the front end of the boat can not be immersed into the water, and the machine is not overthrown. When after starting, the

driving apparatus or float has been released, the plane a is brought into an inclined position corresponding to the equilibrium of the forces 7,16, and l shown in Figs. 1 to 3. in order to deaden the shocks of the waves below the float, the water propeller F is disposed below the lowermost point of the float, so that the propeller is the last part of the system which leaves the water and the first one which is immersed into the water. It will readily be understood, that by setting the driving frame or float at an angle, less shock occurs when starting or alighting, because the frame can easily jump over oneven ground and the float can easily follow the movements of the waves, without trans mitting the whole movement to the body of the flying machine.

1 claim herein as my invention:

i. In a flying machine, the combination with the body, and a plane for steering the same vertically, of a pendulum on said body I adapted to control said plane, and automatic means in movable relation with the pendulum for varying the air resistance of the pendulum according to the inclination of the body to the direction of the flight.

In a flying machine, the combination with the body, and a plane for steering the same vertically, of a pendulum on said body adapted to control saidplahe, ihgplaneeon said pendulum, and automatic meiins for lVhen starting the machine the setting said plane on the pendulum at diffcrent angles to the direction of the flight according to the inclination of the body to the direction of flight.

3. In a 11 log machine, the combination with the b0 y, and a plane for steering the same vertically, of a pendulum on said body ads ted to control said plane, a plane on sai pendulum, automatic means for setting said plane on the pendulum at different angles to the direction of the flight according to the inclination of the body to the direction of flight, and hand operated meansto set said plane on the pendulum. 4

4. In a flying machine, the combination with the body, and the ings mounted thereon, of a driving fra ne adapted to float and rockingly connected with the body, the vertical line passing through the point of connection of the body and frame being located in front of the center of gravitation of the frame when the flying machine is floating on the water.

5. In a flying machine, the combination with the body, wings mounted thereon, and a steering plane for steering the body vertieally, of a driving frame adaptedjo float and rockingly connected with the body and adapted to control said steering plane, the vertical line passim through the point of connection of the hody with the driving frame being located in front of the centero gravitation of the frame when the flying machine is floating on the water, a plane on said driving frame, automatic means for setting the plane on the driving frame at different angles to the direction of the flight according to the inclination of the body to the direction of flight, and hand operated means to set said plane on the driving plane.

6. In a flying machine, the combination with the body, and the wings inountedi thereon, of a driving frame adapted to.

float and rockingly connected with the body, the vertical line passing through the point of connection of the body and frame being locatedin front of the center of gravitation of the frame when the flying machine is floating on the water, and a propeller on said driving frame mounted below the lowermost part of the same.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name tothis specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

oTTo WITTKOWSKI.

Witnesses \VoLDnMAn HAUr'r Hanna HASPER. 

